muller



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheeb 1.

MU LER.

CBNTRIFUGA'L MACHINE.

Patented May 13, 1884.

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2 Sheets-Sheet2.

T. H. MULLER.

GE'NTRIPUGAL MACHINE.

Patented May 13, 1884.

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STATES TEILE H. MULLER, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL S. HEPWORTH, OF YONKERS, N. Y.

,CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,395, dated May 13, 1884.

Application filed December 31, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TEILE H. llIllLLER, a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented an Improved Centrifugal Machine for Separating Liquids from Solids, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical central section of my improved centrifugal machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the top portion of said machine; Fig. 3, a top view,partly in section,of said top portion; Fig. 4, a side view, partly in section, of the suspensionsocket of the machine; Fig. 5, a topview of said suspension-socket; Fig. 6, a side view of the supporting-socket used in the upper portion of the machine; Fig. 7, a partial top view of said socket; Fig. 8, a top view, partly in section, of the brake-ring used on the machine, and ofits connections. Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical central section of the upper portion of the machine; Fig. 10, an enlarged vertical central section of the lower portion of the machine; and Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line a c, Fig. 10, but drawn on the same scale as Fig. 1.

The object of this invention is to furnish a centrifugal machine which shall be able to work all kinds of sugars and other substances, and yet have all the different parts light and easy of repair, without communicating the vibrations of the frame-work from which the machine is suspended.

The machine to which these improvements pertain belongs to that class of centrifugals which are directly suspended from the upper portions of their spindles, and which have no support at the lower parts of the spindles; but the machine invented by me differs from those heretofore in use,in that the spindle is held in a central position by bottom bearings, whichaffect its position laterally,but do not support it.

The invention consists in a novel construction of oscillating suspension-head and stationary suspension-socket, and in the combination of these parts with each other and with the lateral bottom bearing.

It also consists in other details of combina tion and construction that are hereinafter more fully-specified.

In the drawings, the letter A represents a spindle of the centrifugal machine, which spindle atits lower portion carries the basket 13, that is fastened to it in the usual or suitable manner. The upper end of this spindle A has, by preference, screwed into it a separate short spindle, O, for the purpose of employing in this upper part a superior quality of steel, and also to avoid crystallizations, which may occur in larger forgings and prove fatal if they should creep into the upper part ofthe spindle proper.

The. uppermost part of the spindle-top G has attached to it, preferably by a screw-thread, a nut, a. This nut may be further fastened by a traversingv pin, b, so as to avoid all danger of its working loose. The lower face of the nutd/is in contact withthe upper one of a series of washers, d, which rest on an annular plate, ,0, that is firmly screwed into or otherwise secured in the tubular piece D, which I term the head of the suspension apparatus. This head has at its lower end a nearly semi-spherical enlargement, f, which rests in a nearly semi-spherical socket, 9, that is formed in the lower part of a tube, E, which surrounds the tube D, as is more clearly shown in Fig.1.). The upper end of the. tube E has an outwardly-extending flange, h, which by bolts i connects with the suspension-socket ,F. This suspensionsocket is shown in plan view in Fig. 5, and in side view, partlyin section, in Fig. 4, and is provided, as these drawings show, with four (more or less) vertical tubular extensions, j, that pass through openings in the flange 7c of the head D, said openings in said flange 75 being so large that during any possible vibrations of the head D the body of the latter will not come in contact with the tubular extensions j of the suspension-socket F. The suspension-socket itself is secured by strong bolts to the upper framing, Gr, of the building in which the machine is erected.

The bolts showing the connection between the suspension-socket F and the beam G are indicated by dotted lines in the upper part of Fig. l, and byfull lines at m in Fig. 2. Thus the tube E, having the female bearing part 9, is rigidly suspended from the suspension-head F, and by it is supported through the intervention of the head D, having the enlargementf, and the bearing-plate e, the spindle A The inner face of the head D is, by

itself. preference, lined with a brass tubing, a, in or with which the shaft A revolves without carrying around with itthe tube or head D. Any oscillation of the shaft A will be taken up by the ball-and-socket jointf From a suitably-arranged oil-cup on the suspension beam or bracket, G, oil is fed into the central upper part of the head D, which oil will surround the washers d and ascend around them and around the prolongation O of the spindle A until it. rises to the level of a hole in the side or top of a tube, 0, that projects vertically upward from the annular plate 0, as is clearly shown in Fig. 9. A passage leads through the annular plate 0 in alignment with the bore of the tube 0, so that the oil which flows from above into the tube 0 will pass through said tube and through said passage into the space below the plate 0, lubricating the sides of the spindle A where they turn in or with the bushing n, and finally this oil will be caught in the inside of the pulley H, whence it can be removed by suitable means. Thus by means of said tube 0, in the position stated, the oil will be prevented from rising in the upper part of the head D above the level which is prescribed for it by the height of the aperture in the upper part of the tube 0. The pulley H is rigidly mounted at its lower portion upon the shaft or spindle A, being secured thereto by clampingnuts or in any other suitable manner. The lower part of this pulley is made of inverted, truncated, conical form,

as shown at p in Fig. 9, while the upper part is made cylindrical, as shown at q in the same figure. The belt for revolving the spindle A and its appendages is placed around the cylindrical portion q of the pulley H. The conical portion 1) of said pulley is embraced by a tapering hollow brake, I, of corresponding form, which hollow brake has its inner face lined with blocks r of wood or other frictional sub stance. The form of the brake I is that of a tapering dish with open bottom and top. Figs. 2 and 8 show how this brake is connected to the other parts of the machine, namely: It is pivoted by a horizontal pivot, 's, to a sleeve, t, that is held on a bolt, 20, which is fastened in a proper socket on the flange 7c of the suspension-head D. Fig. 3 shows a top view, partly in section, of this suspension-head D.

Diametrically opposite to the bolt a the head D carries another vertical bolt, 1), which is embraced by a hollow extension, w, of the brake I. The said hollow extension has a cam-like or inclined lower edge, below which there is swiveled,on the bolt o,a lever, J ,having a camlike or inclined portion on its upper face. By swinging this lever J around the bolt o, it will serve to either raise or lower the free end of construction.

the pivoted hollow brake I. Vhen the lever is turned to lift the brake, it will cause the latter to bear tightly against the outer conical face of the portion 1) of the pulley H. The resistance which is produced by this contact on the revolving spindle is not only lateral but also vertical-that is to say, the spindle, together with its pulley H and suspension-head D, is bodily lifted to a slight extent whenever the brake is applied, and thus its rotation will be speedily stopped. The lifting of the spindle by the application of the brake has for its effect, moreover, to release the pressure on the washers d, and to allow the oil which is contained in the upper part of the suspensionhead D to enter between the washers and to keep theirsurfaces properly lubricated. When I say washers in this connection, I mean any arrangement of plate or plates that is intel-posed between the nut or enlargement a and the supporting-plate e, for the purpose of reducing friction. Such plate or plates may have the form indicated in the sectional view, Fig. 9, or other analogous form, or may be provided with anti-frictional rollers or balls, if desired. The braking efi'ect produced by lifting the brake I, so far as the rotary motion of the spindle A and its appendages is concerned, is to transfer the resistance by the head D to the tubular projections that pass through the head, and these projections being stationary and being secured to the framing or building in which the machine is suspended, the machine is quickly stopped.

We now come to the lower part of the machine. Here the spindle A carries the basket B, which, as already stated, is of suitable Below the basket the spindle is prolonged to receive thelower bearing, which bearing consists of an upper portion, a, brass bushing b and lower portion, cl, as is more clearly indicated in Fig. 10. The upper part, a", of the bearing forms a hollow guard in its highest portion, which guard surrounds the spindle and prevents the oil from splashing over. In the middle this upper part, a of the bearing has a cylindrical projection which reaches downward and rests on the bushing b said bushing being supported on ashoulder or head, a", that is formed at the lower end of the spindle A. The lower portion, d of the bearing surrounds the bushing b", and is in its upper part embraced by the portion a", as shown, and reaches to above the level of the oil that flows through an opening, 2'", from a into (2. Vertical bolts f, which extend through flanges of the portions a and d", serve to connect with the latter a series of radiating horizontal bolts or braces, L, of which six are shown in Fig. 1lthat is to say, the inner ends of these radiating horizontal bolts or braces L are coupled to the lower bearing by the short vertical bolts f The headed outer ends of the horizontal bolts or braces L extend through a vertical flange or projection, g", of the outer gutter or casing, M, which is indiveated in Fig. 1, and are surrounded by rubber cushions or analogous springs h on the outer side of said flange g and inside of the heads of said braces.

The bearing for the lower part of the spindle is applied as follows: The upper portion, a, is first slipped over the spindle from below. The bushing 12 made in halves, is then placed on the neck of the spindle over the head 6 and then the oil-chamber or lowerportion, d is slippedon, and then the two parts a and d are united to one another, and likewise to the horizontal bolts L by the vertical bolts f It will be readily seen that the horizontal bolts or braces L, in connection with their cushions h", will serve to keep the lower bearing, c (P, duly centered, yielding sufficiently, however, to the gyrations of the spindle to prevent any undue strain upon the suspension mechanism, and nevertheless always assisting to prevent undue gyrations.

I claim- 1. The combination of the spindle A, having the upper enlargement, a, with the washers d, supporting-plate e, tubular head D, balland-socketjointfg, tube E, bolts t, and suspension-socket F, having tubular extensions j, that pass through apertures in the flange k of the head D, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the spindle A and its prolongation C and upper enlargement, a, with the washers d, tubular head D, and means, substantially as described, for supporting said head, and with the plate 6 and oil-tube 0, that extends upward from said plate e, said plate 6 having a passage in alignment with the bore of the tube 0, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

for holding it suspended, with the pulley H,

having conical portion 19, and with the conical brake I, horizontal pivot s of said brake, and means, substantially as described, for swinging said brake on said pivot, as set forth.

4. The combination of the suspension-socket F, having tubular extensions j, with the tube E, suspension-head D, having flange k,through which the tubes j pass, spindle A, enlargement a,washers d, supporting-plate e, pulley H, and brake I, all arranged so that when the brake is applied the spindle will be slightly lifted and pressure on the washers relieved, as set forth.

' 5. The combination of the suspended spindle A with the guard a", split sleeve 0 chamber d horizontal braces L, fixed flange or projection g and cushions h", substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

6. The combination of the upright spindle A and means, substantially as described, for suspending it at its upper end, with a bottom bearing and centering braces and cushions L h'flsubstantially as herein shown and described;

7. The combination of the split sleeve b and oil-chamber d, having a vertical prolongation to above the level of the oil, and outer flange for bolts f with a guard, c resting on the inner bushing, b and reaching over said projection ofthe oil-chamber, and forming upper flange for attaching tension -bolts L, as

set forth.

TEILE H. MI'iLLER.

Vitnesses:

JOHN M. SPEER, WILLY G. E. SCHULTZ. 

